The final ten minutes of 2014's Royal Rumble was met with "Booooo." Not even the reliable Rey Mysterio could turn the crowd from disappointment. The newest golden boy of the WWE, Daniel Bryan, had been left out of the Royal Rumble match and missed an opportunity to be in the main event at WrestleMania 30.
The outraged was clear. Daniel Bryan's victory felt nearly common sense to all the fans. Even though the signs were pointing in every other direction. Bryan had never been advertised for the match. He even tweeted they didn't want him near it.
Also, days before the Rumble a leaked WrestleMania card came to light, showing Batista challenging for the title. It meant only one thing, Batista would be winning the Rumble.
Sure enough, Bryan was not involved and Batista won.
Was this poor booking? Did the producers believe that the returning Batista could outshine the rising Bryan? For over a month beforehand crowds have been chanting for Bryan throughout the main events involving both Randy Orton and John Cena. It was clear as day who the fans wanted to see.
Now, the WWE Network is looming. The speculation is growing on how much of a game changer it will be. PPV's will certainly never be the same. WWE fans will have the option of buying the Network for six months at $9.99 a month and get every PPV included.
It is the time to take risks. But what if the risks the WWE are taking are not in the superstars themselves? It's undeniable Daniel Bryan is ready for bigger things. The risk isn't in him. The risk is in the way the WWE presents its stories.
Social media has become a major tool in the WWE mindset. The WWE app shows matches during the commercials and behind the scene footage. Twitter keeps everybody updated with what is going on in the characters lives. Their stage has expanded into the digital realm.
The WWE is learning from their mistakes. They have turned the fans greatest weakness into their strength. Spoilers. People are always looking for spoilers. So, send some out and then make your stories start to build towards those red herrings.
Make it obvious that Daniel Bryan is not going to be in the rumble. (It might have turned uglier than they planned, but it was the reaction they wanted). They weren't playing it safe with their main events superstars. They were risking their PPV storytelling.
Think back to the night after WreslteMania 28. Daniel Bryan had just lost his title in 18 seconds. The crowd went nuts showing their support. Flashforward to Sumerslam 2013. Bryan wins the WWE title only to lose it in a few minutes to Randy Orton. This time around he chases the title for a couple of months before being diverted by the Wyatt Family. The crowd was behind him for his title chase, but the destination was expected. It wasn't until Bryan left the chase did the crowds start to turn fowl. They cheered for him louder than ever because he was not involved.
The Royal Rumble was the same thing only planned for. He was absent because they wanted him to be. The crowds are behind Daniel Bryan even more than before.
Now, just because Batista won the Rumble does not mean he will headline WrestleMania or alone for that matter. WrestleMania 2000 saw the match change several times. John Cena cashed in his rumble victory for the No Way Out a month before.
Maybe I'm a dreamer, but nothing has been set in stone and the story is still unfolding.
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